The inaugural session saw insightful deliberations pertaining to the impact of digital communication on the youth, education and society in general. Prof. Hobbs during her inaugural address pointed out; it is imperative that the focus is on competencies and skills the children require for assimilating and communicating through the digital medium in the future. The skills are highly necessary as the children and youth are not just audiences but are also content creators. From an educational standpoint, it is necessary that the teachers realize that education becomes a highly engaging experience when it is premised on digital technology. Indian education system currently needs to fill up this gap in the adoption of digital communication at the earliest.

Prof. Mohan J. Dutta, National University of Singapore during his keynote address questioned certain kinds of messages that get created, circulated and propagated in the digital space. He stressed that Nations have recreated themselves in new form and new strategies. Landscapes of inequalities in India are the best proof; also being a communicative inequality. Communicative engagements in such cases end up producing more inequality and marginalization of the poor.

Speaking on the occasion Dr. Nagesh Rao, - President & Director, MICA, said, “Digital Media has always been a subject of intrigue and deep interest for us at MICA. We have to be conscious about the lives that do not have access to the digital and thus understand how the digital divide can be bridged in a country like India. We hope that over the next three days, we be able to dialogue with an open mind, a loving heart and a reflective soul about the various benefits along with the pros and cons digital media brings on to the table.”

Speaking on the occasion Prof. Renne Hobbs, , University of Rhode Island, USA said, “It is great to be a part of MICA’s ICMC 2015 as it gives a platform for scholars, researchers and sectors experts to present their views on the dynamic world of Digital Communication. India is representative of the potential for the medium and the lasting impact it will wield in years to come. Digital competency, democratized participation and self-aware modalities are necessary to ensure that greater intercultural penetration translates into greater intercultural & enrichment.”

Additionally, Day 1 of the conference also saw views and paper presentations on multiple topics by:

Sirkku Kotilainen, University of Tampere, Finland: Media and information literacies as the basis for youth civic participation

The day concluded with a poster presentation session encompassing the ICMC 2015 theme.

About ICMC

MICA has pioneered an Annual Conference series on themes and issues pertaining to Communication Management. Launched in 2014 with the theme of ‘Managing Health Communication: People, Programmes and Products’, the conference series provide a platform for bringing together scholars, activists and practitioners, to discuss frontier developments in communication theories and practices. Each conference has a thematic outline, inviting scholarly contributions around the focal theme. Papers conceptualising perennial and emerging issues in communication management would also be included. The idea takes into cognizance the significance of multiple linkages of interdisciplinary and critical scholarship in communication management.

About MICA

Established in 1991, MICA is the first residential institute in the country and perhaps in the Asia-Pacific region, dedicated to creating Leadership in Strategic Marketing and Communication.

Its spirit lies in its grasping of contemporariness, addressing the needs of an ever-changing environment. The MICA brand assures effective delivery of Strategic Marketing and Communication solutions to the industry, government and community.

Today, it is the alma mater of professionals serving in leadership positions in some of the best known companies in India and the world, in marketing, brand management, research & analytics, advertising, media, digital and other strategic marketing and communication-driven businesses.

For Further Information, please contact:

Himanshu Dandotiya – 9558808618 - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Monica Reddy – 9974652533 – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.